Development set to accelerate on western coastline
The Western Straits Economic Zone, situated to the west of the Taiwan Straits and covering the entire of Fujian province and parts of the neighbouring provinces of Zhejiang, Jiangxi and Guangdong has become one of the star performers on China's economic stage.
During the second session of the 10th People's Congress of Fujian in 2004, Lu Zhangong, then governor of the province, proposed the construction of an economic zone on the western side of the Taiwan Straits.
Aiming at attracting Taiwanese business, the construction of the economic zone was included in the CPC Central Committee's suggestions for the 11th economic and social development plan in 2005.
In 2006, the sixth plenary meeting of the 16th CPC Central Committee reiterated its support for the Straits' economic zone.
The construction of the economic zone was widely discussed during the national congress of CPC in 2007.
Last year, the State Council formally issued the Decisions on Accelerating the Construction of the Economic Zone on the Western Side of the Taiwan Straits.
According to the decisions, the zone was to provide a channel for services to the neighboring regions, to be a base for advanced manufacturing and a center for Chinese cultural tourism.
Huang Xiaojing, governor of Fujian province said that a number of sectors had already been identified as priorities for future development. These include advanced manufacturing, hi-tech industry, agricultural and forestry cooperation, maritime development, logistics, tourism and culture.
Economic exchanges and cooperation across the Straits have increased in recent years, he added.
In the first quarter of this year the trade volume between Fujian and Taiwan reached $2.349 billion, an increase of 101.3 percent over the same period last year.
(China Daily 05/27/2010 page16)
